The Ritual
by DepressoxEspresso
Summary: Goddesses, in all their power and glory, can only obtain their vast power through a certain ritual. A grand tournament is held for all citizens of Britannia. The prize, an audience with the Goddesses themselves and one wish granted - but at what cost?
1. Part one: The Tournament

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Nanatsu no Taizai belong to Nakaba Suzuki and his sadistic mind. Please consider supporting the official release.**

* * *

 _Got my own monster,_

 _Nobody but me,_

 _I would never call him an enemy,_

 _He's the bad god I need,_

 _Losing my boundaries,_

 _Setting me free,_

 _Oh, in my dreams he speaks to me,_

 _He's the bad god I need,_

 _He's the bad god I need_

 _-WDL, Monster Vs. Angel_

* * *

 _ **The Ritual, Part One: The Tournament**_

Warm scarlet painted the evening skies, bathing the lands of Britannia in an amber glow, the sun hastily retreating below the horizon. Several small, fluffy clouds caught the various hues of the sunset adding splashes of vibrant colours across the heavens. Pinks, greens, blues, purples.

Wind swept across the landscape effortlessly, a few trees dancing lazily in the breeze. The western winds brought with them the sweet salt of the sea along with the crisp air of the western isles. A few sparks flew from broadswords, the small flecks of energy eye catching in the dimming world around them. The sound of metal scrapping metal was dense in the air as wandering soldiers and mercenaries wrapped up the last of their evening training.

Elizabeth sat below a hawthorn tree slightly to the East to the action. Her soft, silvery hair picking up the twilight and painting it a radiant pink tone. She sat with her back pressed against the sturdy trunk, her eyes glued towards the heavens.

She had found herself doing this more often lately. She had been stationed in Britannia for little more than a month, though to her it felt like years. It was her first time outside the goddess' realm and as happy as she was initially for the limited freedom she had whilst training, she couldn't help but feel a little homesick.

Britannia was beautiful, wonderful; it was magnificence beyond any word Elizabeth knew how to describe. From the sway of the grass in the breeze, to the various earthy smells that permeated the air, the people or the animals – but especially the pure magical energies that saturated it all in a glow that was unique to the Britannia and Britannia alone.

The whole world was in stark contrast to the endless cloud ocean of the Goddess realm and the ceaseless light that radiated from each cardinal direction. Silvers, gold's and porcelain white was beautiful, sure, but nothing compared to the endless colours of the land's she found herself in now.

It was no wonder her mother, the Supreme deity of the Goddess race, had fought so hard to preserve it all. Or, for that matter, why more sinister beings would want to steal it all away for themselves.

The purpose of Elizabeth's visit to this realm was simple – to train and prepare to join the efforts against the forces that would seem to tarnish it. Be it human, rebellious giant's or fearies, but most of all demon's.

Goddess', while powerful beings in and of themselves, drew their energies from the world around them. Most goddess' who had been born and raised in the Goddess realm needed training on how to accept different energy source.

Elizabeth had spent countless hours in prayer, establishing a connection to the endless power of the land itself. She had been trained on how to feel for the energies, follow the ley lines, read the winds for traces of magical spikes of energies. She had learned the holy ways of the druids – the Goddess' servants in Britannia – in the way of love, humility and empathy.

Now it was nearing the end of all her druid mentors could offer her and she was currently being brought to her final trial. After this test, she will finally be able to accept Britannia's energy into her own without issue.

It was a fairly big deal under most circumstances, but especially so considering Elizabeth's rank and birth status.

The test would be preceded by a tournament of Britannian fighters. All could enter, regardless of rank, status or birth; the only exceptions being demons and giants. The winner of the Tournament, to Elizabeth's understanding, would meet with her and offer her the final key in establishing a connection with the land and it's magic.

"Is all well, Lady Elizabeth?" The soft voice was a stark difference from the dying sounds of the last of the sparring men below. Elizabeth's escort, a young druid boy named Tristam had come to collect her for the night.

"I am well Tristam. Is it time to head back?" Elizabeth rose, her large wings stretching out comfortably behind her.

In truth, Elizabeth hoped she could have enjoyed her time alone a bit longer, but the tournament would begin first thing at sunrise tomorrow and she had her own preparations to take care of.

"Yes." Elizabeth took one last look at the sky before setting her gaze straight ahead and retreating back to her chambers within the human city.

* * *

" _What is he doing here?"_

" _This has to be some kind of joke right?"_

" _There's no way they'd allow for this…"_

Meliodas ignored the relentless gossip that was taking place all around him. He had come to this town simply because he had heard of some kind of festival – and festivals meant good booze.

He sat on the outdoor veranda on the second floor of the small bar, a large stein nearly void of its contents gripped firmly in his left hand. The drink itself was nothing too special, the wheat brew leaving a bitter aftertaste and barely fuzzing his mind even after his fifth round.

He had grown used to the chatter everywhere he went by this point. 50 or so odd years of residing in Britannia had got him decently acclimated to its human inhabitants – nearly all of whom wouldn't take kindly on a demon even if it was life or death.

Not that he blamed them. He had killed many in cold blood over small squabbles or even an off glance. How the humans managed to continue an existence was beyond him, but years away from his demon kin had seen him grow indifferent to the creatures.

" _Maybe we should tell the Goddess'…"_

He kept his void black eyes hidden behind his lids as he took one last deep swig of the alcohol. He felt a few men behind him tense up as he slammed the wooden cup down onto the well-worn table. He stood up swiftly and deposited a gold coin on the uneven tabletop. All eyes were on Meliodas, his pure power making him the undisputed alpha in the area, even despite his small stature and boyish looks.

He spun around on his heel, stuffing one hand into his pocket while the other rested comfortably on the hilt of his sword. He walked over to the rail of the veranda overlooking the city square. Humans were all over the place, streamers and decorations flying between hands and quickly being assembled. A few men were at work finishing up a fence around a dirt ring.

" _Man I would totally enter the tournament!"_

" _I heard the grand prize this year is getting a favour done for you by a Goddess"_

" _Not just any goddess, I heard this is some big shot we got this year!"_

Meliodas' ears pricked up at this information. Had he heard that right? A favour for a goddess? He had come across plenty of Goddess' throughout his life, despatched many more. They were hardly a race willing to just give away a favour without some loophole. For a so called "holy" race the Goddess clan was more corrupt than even the lowliest demon ranks.

"There's going to be a tournament here?" Meliodas turned towards the gossipers, his face stoic with minor interest at their reactions to being acknowledged. Even to black-out drunks his presence was enough to sober them up instantly. "What's that about?"

"Y-yes sir." The drunk man slurred out, careful to be respectful lest he offend the demon before him. "W-we 'old one every f-few years, Sir."

"That we do, Sir." The second drunkard joined in a failed attempt not to look disrespectful after being address. "Apart o' some Goddess ritual it is, Sir. Grand prize is an audience with the Goddess 'erself, mi'lord."

"That it is, Sir. No one knows what happens besides the lucky bloke comes back grinning from ear to ear, bags o' gold or booze at 'is hip he does."

Some Goddess ritual that human's take part in? The whole prospect reeked of foul play to Meliodas.

"How does one take part in this tournament?" Meliodas turned his back to the drunkards and watched as a few men building the fence around the arena argued over something.

"S-surely you don't want to enter Mi'lord, Sir!"

Meliodas let his power pulse out of him causing all the men on the veranda's hair to stand on end.

"Just show up at dawn!" The second drunk spat out, the fear laced in his tone mildly amusing to the demon. "Everyone in the ring at sunrise is considered a participant!"

' _How careless'_ Meliodas thought. The goddess' left it open? So the ritual didn't require anyone in particular? So then why not just possess some human and forgo the troublesome spectacle? With his interest in the bar completely spent, He effortlessly leapt from the veranda, landing softly on the ground below. A few human's watched in mixed horror at the man who just jumped from the second floor of a building. Meliodas was careful to keep his eyes lowered lest one decided to get a loose tongue around a goddess. Normally he didn't care if he was found out, town riots were always amusing to watch, and much more amusing to raze down slowly after he had his fun. However, right now he needed a plan to get into this stupid tournament.

Of course, it was the Goddesses. No use in him trying to understand their impractical methods. What he could do was scope out the enemies playing field, get some intel that could be useful in his race's efforts against the wretched creatures.

Though he doubted they would willingly allow a demon into their tournament, much less their rituals. Perhaps he could just keep his distance, keep to the shadow's and observe? That sounded incredibly _boring_ and inefficient. If he could take part it would be over with in a flash and he could be gone by morning. If the information was good, maybe the Goddesses would suffer a few missing battalions by noon tomorrow.

"Excuse me, Sir?" a woman's voice came from Meliodas' left. He turned his gaze towards the sound. There was a narrow alley next to him, darkened from the dying twilight. A tall woman cloaked in a purple robe slowly glided towards him, her hand outreached as if beckoning him towards her. "I couldn't help but notice your predicament. Perhaps I could help you?"

Meliodas stopped his forward trek, raising his face to look at the woman and allowing his demon brand to surface briefly in warning. "I'd be careful if I were you, woman."

The woman chuckled softly as Meliodas brushed his energy against her own. The familiar sparks of strong magical power stoking his interests enough not to slaughter her on the spot.

"At peace, demon. I am but a humble travelling mage." The woman lowered her cloak revealing her short glossy raven hair and otherworldly amethyst eyes. She gave a sly smile, her energy pushed against his own in a show of defiance. "You wish to enter the Goddess' tournament, do you not?"

Meliodas retracted his own power, lowering his guard just enough for the mage to catch his meaning without exchanging words. _Go on, I'm listening._

* * *

Elizabeth had never felt so _hot_ before in her life. Each word that came out of the Goddess who had come to fill her in on the proceedings tomorrow made her face hit a new shade of red. Her wings twitched awkwardly behind her, her sweaty hands fought to raise to her face, to hide her away from the conversation; but she kept them balled in her lap as she forced herself to maintain eye contact.

"It's normal to be nervous." The goddess continued in a mildly sympathetic tone, "but it has to be done. We cannot fully establish a link with Britannia's power without this ritual. Many young goddesses have gone through the process before. It may be… awkward, but you'll get used to it with time – maybe even grow to enjoy it as so many have!"

Elizabeth felt her cheeks warm again. For her race - for Britannia - she was willing endure the worst punishments, dance on broken glass and hot coals, walk through purgatory and back, but _this?!_

"I promise you, it may hurt a little at first, but it's all a matter of attitude. If you overthink it it'll go bad for both you and your partner. Just give in to your senses and try to enjoy it."

The goddess paused as if allowing Elizabeth a chance to ask questions or for clarification. Elizabeth was aware she was staring, her mind racing with both thousands of questions and none she was willing to ask. "N-no. I think I understand." She finally did manage to sputter out, her voice sounding too unsure, even to her own ears and completely unbefitting for someone of Elizabeth's ilk.

 _All_ of this was unbefitting for someone like Elizabeth! She was the supreme deities own flesh and blood, the princess of the Goddess realm, and yet she was expected to take part of this archaic ritual all the same!

"Are you sure?" The goddess asked, tilting her head in her doubt, "We can go over the ritual again, if you'd like-"

"NO!" Elizabeth flailed her arms around frantically, desperate to stop the woman before she put Elizabeth through that torture again. _Anything but that! "_ I promise you, I'll be fine. I understand what has to be done."

And she did; the problem was she didn't understand _why._ Weren't goddess' supposed to be the embodiment of light and purity? Couldn't they find some other way to tap into Britannia's energies without having to lay with one of its inhabiting races?

"Good. I'll be back in to morning to pray with you and go over the ceremonies again. Depending on how long the tournament lasts we may be here 'til the morrow, I've seen some very promising warriors out there. I suggest you rest well tonight."

"T-thank you. I will."

With that, the Goddess turned, finally breaking the soul-shattering eye contact that the two had held for much too long to be comfortable. As soon as the door clicked shut behind the woman Elizabeth let out a deep sigh, fluttering her wings and relaxing her spine out of its rigid straight pose.

She flopped backwards onto her bed, bouncing slightly as her hair fell around her pillow in a silver halo. The last of the day's light was finally shying away, leaving nothing but the flicker of a few stray candles to keep away the encroaching darkness of the night. Crickets sang lazily and the last caws of ravens were finally dying down to make way for the _hoo's_ of owls and songs of night insects. A cool breeze danced gusted through the open window of Elizabeth's room causing the candles flames to dance wildly on their wicks.

Elizabeth watched as the soft glow moved across her stone ceiling. Would that night also see her laying down, staring at her ceiling under candle glow as her partner crept over her? Would she close her eyes in embarrassment or keep her gaze solid as they glided against each other? Would her partner be handsome? Beautiful? Man, woman? Human, druid or fearie?

Would she truly come to enjoy it as the Goddess had said? Would she find pleasure in bedding denizens of Britannia when she needed to re-establish her connection with the Earth, or would she come to dread each encounter there after?

* * *

Meliodas stood in the town square. A few contestant's eager to size up the competition slowly arriving one after the other.

Sunrise wasn't too far off and the sickeningly sweet sound of morning song birds were slowly beginning to fill the skies. None of the men or women seemed to pay Meliodas any mind, a far cry from the usual suspicion and fear he had become accustomed with – his powerful aura setting off anyone with even a shred of magical power in his nearby vicinity. It was a good indicator that the mage had not sold him short, though he was sure even one as brave and cunning as her knew better than to piss off a greater demon.

" _This potion will supress your demon abilities for 36 to 48 hours." The mage, Merlin, had transported Meliodas to her workshop. The eerie green and purple glows that emanated from a cauldron and various glass jars would be unsettling to most, their demonic contents grotesque; but for Meliodas it brought back memories of his younger days, training his with younger brothers, hunts that lasted days, sometimes weeks and left Meliodas covered in ichor and grime. Most of all, his lectures with Chandler – as much as he hated them at the time – which allowed him to identify most of the ingredients by both human and demonic names._

 _Merlin handed the flask to him, the burgundy fluid inside splashing against the glass and leaving a trail of oil that slowly trailed down with gravity. "What's in it for you?" Meliodas asked, the skepticism in his voice plain._

" _You could say its general interest." Merlin gave a sly grin that somehow worked to make Meliodas trust her, even if just slightly. "I side with neither demon nor goddess. I side with knowledge and experimentation. Take what you may from that."_

 _Meliodas unscrewed the cork that kept the tincture sealed. Immediately he was struck by the powerful smell of burning salt and ichor. He held out the flask, his gaze never once wavering from the mage before him. "Drink." He commanded._

 _Merlin looked at him bewildered. "It will have no effect on me, if that's what you're hoping for, nor would I poison you." She reached out a slender hand and grabbed hold of the flask regardless, taking a quick sip and swallowing before handing the flask back to the demon. "Few poisons work against greater demons after all, all of which are incredibly hard to come across."_

" _Open your mouth." Meliodas commanded again and Merlin complied. Satisfied he actually ingested the liquid, he replaced the cork and pocketed the liquid._

" _I'll be rooting for you." Merlin chuckled under her breath. The world around Meliodas turned white, then dark as the familiar surroundings of the alley materialized around him once more. Merlin was nowhere in sight._

Shop keepers and vendors began pooling into the town square now, taking boards off their make shift stalls and taking stock for the day. Ovens were lit and firewood was counted.

A man that was easily double Meliodas' height brushed against him hard, knocking him back a few steps. He felt his anger raise to a near boiling point as he turned to face the man. He was balding, most likely in the middle of his human lifespan. His arms were covered with scars and mementos of battles fought long ago, his body built from years of harsh work.

Normally, no one would dare step foot near Meliodas, much less willingly bump into him. He tried to call forth his _hellblaze_ , only to feel a fizzling spark of what was once purgatories toxic burn come forth within him. Merlin's potion was working aggravatingly well.

"Oops, sorry, didn't see 'ya there, buddy. Ya lost? Lookin' fer yer mum?" The man kneeled down to get on Meliodas' height, his voice chastising and demeaning. "This is no place for kids."

"No." He locked eyes with the man. He was aware of the people around him watching the stand-off. "I'm here to enter the tournament."

The crowd let out a howl of laughter. Meliodas tried to summon forth his hellblaze once more to no avail, his pathetic state grating at his nerves, stoking the flames of his wrath along with the bellowing laughter of the crowd; and practically from the man who was currently clutching his gut as he laughed directly in front of him.

Meliodas grabbed hold of the man's right arm that was currently rubbing tears from his warped face. It was like straight ecstasy was being pumped into his veins when he felt the bones in the man's arm twist and snap, his laughter being replaced with shrieks of agony. ' _It seems the potion didn't suppress my physical strength much.'_

With a dancer's grace, Meliodas twisted his arm backwards, earning him a second satisfying _snap_ , he side stepped around his large frame, dragging his arm painfully behind his back and bragging him down so he was on his knees in-front of him – the man now forced to look up at the demon from a side glance.

"You got a problem with that?" The demon spoke directly into the man's ear, frigid venom laced on every word. Around them the crowd looked on in horror, stoking Meliodas' ego slightly from their hushed whispers.

He released the man roughly, kicking him down to lay in the dirt of the street. The crowd had begun to disperse, whether from not wanting to get in Meliodas' path or loss of interest – it didn't matter to him. He had made his point, gotten his five seconds of release in.

The man at Meliodas' feet began to rise, clutching his shattered arm to keep It from swaying around limply as he limped out of his path and out of sight.

* * *

Morning had come too fast; _much_ too fast.

Before Elizabeth knew it, she was being whisked off to various chambers and meeting with various dignitaries. She was dressed up in gold and silver from head to toe, garbed in a loose-fitting white, silk dress that hugged her curves just enough to give her shape while still maintaining a modest silhouette. Each of her four wings were adorned with jewels and various gems of varying size and clarity.

Finally, hair was pinned up loosely against the crown of her head, leaving her with multiple ringlets that spilled around her face. A simple silver circlet was placed over the tresses and a white veil hung over Elizabeth's face.

She currently found herself standing a-top a government building that oversaw the heart of the town. Her posture was perfectly stiff as she stood for hours, unmoving, overseeing the tournament take place below. The various metals weighing her down in unfamiliar places and wearing away at her stamina even more than rigorous hours of prayer with the druids.

Noon came and went, and Elizabeth stood. At varying times a goddess would come and offer food and drink, with which she stood as she ate and watched. She was grateful for her bare footedness, as any form of formal shoes would surely have destroyed her feet by now.

Below the various races – mainly human – gathered around; watching the Tournament, trying to catch a peak at the goddess', stopping at the various stalls. A group of musicians had set up in one corner and dancer's twirled around energetically. A couple men were collecting bets.

The tournament dragged on. It was meant to be a free-for-all. Last man standing takes all the spoils. Various fights had broken out over the hours, yet little over half had been eliminated thus far. A few weaker humans had struck a deal, targeting various druid or fearie, some other's chose to play it defensive and simple wait for an attacker before they struck, other's had simply tried to avoid the conflict all together.

Elizabeth slowly found her thoughts shifting as the tournament dragged on until there was nearly a quarter left of what they had started with. She watched each promising contestant, wondering what their life was like, what their reasoning for entering was, if they would come to love her for her or simply because it was their chance to lay with a goddess?

A handful really stuck out to Elizabeth, a tall man with stark white hair and a deep, mangled scar that ran down his left cheek, a woman with brown hair tied into two neat pigtails on either side of her head, a second short man with stark orange hair who kept rushing headstrong into every ensuing fray, and finally, a shorter, blond man who seemed to avoid conflict all together, only engaging when approached.

She kept finding her gaze direct back to the blond man. He was dressed in a washed out long coat, a red shirt and black pants tucked into leather boots. He seemed to be watching each contestant as if sizing up his prey. His eyes was cold, void of emotions, emerald green that seemed to cloud over from his malicious gaze. Elizabeth felt a shiver rush down her spine, dread of possibly having to spend the night with _him_ settling into the realm of possibly as each remaining contestant was thrown from the ring.

Finally, just as the beginnings of twilight had begun to set in, a Tristam came to collect Elizabeth for dinner – the one meal she was allowed rest for during that day.

All throughout the meal Elizabeth mulled over the possible victors. When she had left, it had come down to the final 10.

Would she spend the night with the white haired man with the scar? Perhaps the headstrong redhead? Maybe the woman?

The familiar feeling of dread hit her as that mop of blond flashed into her mind, his cold, hard stare drilling straight through her even from within a memory.

She had said a quick prayer for anyone who would treat her well to win, _and certainly not for him to claim the title._

Outside, roars of applause and cheers shook the walls of the government building. Before thinking, Elizabeth was on her feet, her weighted wings allowing her to glide through the twisting halls until she reached the doors to the balcony.

She burst through the large wooden doors, throwing herself against the railing as she looked down to see who had won.

Pure horror cut through Elizabeth like a hot knife. She could feel all the blood drain from her as she stood frozen in place by _his_ stare.

For there, in the center of the ring, one hand pulled skyward in a show of victory by the judge and his gaze directly fixed onto her stood _him_.

"And the winner of this year's ritual tournament is…" The judge screamed out over the cheers of the crowds. He leaned down into the boy's ear. He replied without once taking his stare off of Elizabeth.

" _ **Meliodas!"**_


	2. Part two: The Ritual

_Got my own angel,_

 _Nobody but me,_

 _I would never call her an enemy_

 _She's the good god I need,_

 _Holding me back,_

 _Just when I need,_

 _When I don't dream she's teaching me,_

 _She's the good god I need_

 _-WDL, Monster Vs. Angel_

 _ **Part Two: The Ritual**_

The rules of the Tournament were simple, a no weapons, anything goes free-for-all. All competitors stood within a dirt rink; a larger area surrounding the area, marked off by a dark line was the "out zone". The goal was to either knock your opponent out or incapacitate them.

Meliodas was intrigued to see the inclusion of different races and gender's. Not that gender was of much importance to Goddesses – or demons for that matter.

The brawl began the second a referee gave the word, the fighter's clashing amongst each other. The fighting seemed to stretch on forever and by late noon, Meliodas' patience was wearing extremely thin. He had decided to go into this with as low as a profile as possible - the Goddesses were gullible, but not stupid. If he had knocked a few competitors out too quickly – or even killed a few – it may have set the wretched race off to his true intentions and his demon blood.

That didn't mean he had to be happy about it. All he could think about was he could have just stormed into the town and taken one of the goddesses captive, torturing them until they spilled their secrets. Perhaps the alcohol had inhibited him harder than he originally thought.

A group of humans who had been slowly picking off weaker, smaller competitors flanked Meliodas from all sides. He watched with little attention as one let out a signal scream and three men rushed towards him, no doubt attempting to knock him out of the ring.

He sidestepped between the three bodies with ease, tip toeing around gracefully as they stumbled and crashed into one another. Meliodas grabbed two of the men who were frantically trying to regain their baring's by the tail of their coats, tossing them outside the ring as if they weighed no more than an infant.

The third man scrambled to his feet, making a mad effort to retreat back to the other two human's that were watching on. Humans were so disloyal… The pact these men had made in shambles the second the odds seemed staked up against them.

As Meliodas' would be ambusher broke into a sprint to the direction opposite him, he reached out, grabbing him by the hair and yanking down hard. The man let out a garbled screech of pain as the wind was knocked from his chest upon impact with the ground. A sharp kick to his side had the man gasping, the unmistakable sound of a rib cracking like music to the demon's ears.

The two would-be-ambushers both tried to make tail, but Meliodas was faster. He was on their heels in moments, the fear reflected in the human's eyes stoking on his hunter instincts. He stuck out his leg, tripping one pf the men and making them crash into one another.

The men graveling at his feet watched in horror as Meliodas stalked over to them, slowly and intimidating. They had taken him as an easy out, and he would teach them that appearances weren't everything on the battlefield. Many of the deadliest demons in his father's army were unassuming in their casual appearance – save for a handful – yet feared as the deadliest of demons. It was time the humans got that through their thick skulls.

The stench of urine assaulted the demon's nose, a sick grin of satisfaction spreading across his face as one of the men sobbed for his mother under his breath. _And these men wanted to face with the Goddesses? They couldn't even stand up to a weakened demon._

Meliodas looked up towards the large government building where a veiled goddess stood watch over the proceedings. Her wings shimmered in the setting sun, the breeze causing the gems and precious metals to catch the sun's rays in different ways. He had felt her presence since dawn, and helped serve as a constant reminder that he was to keep his control, her sickening aura a harsh slap each time his rage threatened to take hold.

"I'll give you five seconds to forfeit, or I break your ribs like your buddy over there." Meliodas said coolly, never once taking his eyes off the goddess as he heard the men cry out their withdrawal. Something seemed _off_ about her. He had faced off against many of her kin, and each possessed some sickening degree of foreign power. But this goddess seemed different – even with his suppressed powers he could still sense that she lacked a certain aspect to her aura that all other goddesses had.

Was this what the ritual was about? Meliodas had known that the Goddesses were not shy from using humans and other races as pawns, disposing of them as soon as their worth had been expended. Be it possession, a practice that ate away at a vessels very body until it simply dropped dead from strain, removing sensations and sending their victims out into the battlefield and their certain demise or demanding tribute for their "blessings". Everything the goddesses ever had to offer came with a price – that price usually being death – and this was sure to be no different.

Meliodas returned to his previous spot near the edge of the ring, making sure that the goddess was always in his line of sight.

For hours she stood, only breaking her statuesque stance when she was brought food or drink by a small druid boy. This continued on until the Sun had set deep down to the west, bathing the world in the amber glow of Twilight.

It was at this time that the Goddess has finally left her perch, retreating inside the government building along with her helpers.

It was time for him to act now or risk having to stand around tomorrow as well.

Meliodas struggled to feel for the goddess energies inside the building, as well as his surrounding area. Once he was satisfied that they were all indeed tucked away and out of sight, he took a step forward…

And in the blink of an eye he was on top of a man. Meliodas spun around on his heel, kicking the man square in the gut. He let out a sharp rasp as the air was forced out of him, and he flew backwards landing flat on his back outside of the ring, the inhumane _crunch_ of flesh and bone ringing satisfyingly in her ears.

Next was three men who had huddled together, wrestling fruitlessly against each other. As soon as Meliodas seemingly materialized behind them they all let out an emasculating screech. He grabbed one of the wrestling men's arms and fireman threw him over and out. The crowd roared at the action, turning their full attention towards the demon.

The two other men changed their targets from each other to their new threat, grabbing at his waist and locking him in a chokehold. Meliodas kneed the man in front of him hard, causing him to lose his grip around his waist. As the first man began to stumble backward, he jabbed his right elbow into the second man's ribs, the cartilage bending under the force.

With both men clutching at their abdomens and sputtering for air, Meliodas simply grabbed both by their shirt collars and threw them down to the ground and out of the rink.

The pattern continued, Meliodas mercilessly beating down men and women until he was the only one standing. When it was all over he stood over the final contestant pressed beneath his feet. The towering man with a mangled scar down his right cheek bruised and battered under his foot utterly defeated.

The crowd erupted in a crescendo of cheers and applause as an elderly human hopped over the fence. Though he wasn't focused on the man that approached him nor the countless spectators who were chanting at him. He was tuned into the government building, the one that the goddesses were currently residing inside. He could feel a goddess energy coming closer, or, more accurately the goddess who felt different from all the others.

The old human grabbed hold of Meliodas' left wrist, breaking him from his concentration and raised it high above his head.

"And the winner is!" He kneeled down into Meliodas' ear, "What's your name, sonny?"

He saw no reason to lie, "Meliodas."

" **Meliodas!"**

The crowd let out a thunderous roar, but none of it truly reached the demon's ears. She was there, hunched over the railing of her perch and panting slightly as if she had just been running. The veil was gone from her face and Meliodas could see her sky blue eyes even from where he stood.

Her energy brushed up against him again, a tinge of bittersweet fear mixed in with it. She was scared - as she should have been – but it was all too strange, too foreign. No goddess in the past had shown fear, even when facing down against the Ten Commandments.

 _What was with this woman?_

" _My lady Elizabeth!"_ Tristam, the druid boy, followed close behind Elizabeth onto the balcony, panting heavily. "What's wrong?!"

Elizabeth didn't answer, the cheers of the crowds below deafening in her already ringing ears. The winner, Meliodas, was maintaining eye contact with her, his eyes cold and frightening. All blood drained from her and she suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe.

" _Elizabeth!"_ The goddess woman from the night before flew besides her, placing careful hands on Elizabeth's shoulders and spinning her around to look eye to eye.

"What happened, Elizabeth?! Speak to me?"

Elizabeth swallowed hard, steadying her breaths until she felt she was ready to speak. "Nothing." She said, surprising even herself with how sure the words sounded. "I guess it fully set in just now, what was happening."

The goddess woman looked passed Elizabeth and towards the boy standing in the center of the ring, his arm still raised signalling his victory.

"Oh, dear." The woman brought Elizabeth into a comforting embrace. The feeling was foreign but comforting. Normally, no one dare lay a hand on the daughter of the supreme Deity. Elizabeth had missed out on affection, or even simple contact lest her companions and care givers face the wrath of the Deity.

It had bothered her once when she was younger, but as she matured she simply accepted it as a part of life.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around the woman; that was what you did when you hugged someone, right? The feathery warmth of her fellow goddesses wings brushed against her finger tips as she gently brought her arms down against her back, the motion setting her senses ablaze. The gentle contact soothing her mind as if by magic.

"Thank you." She had to fight against the tears that threatened to fall. She could have never imagined such simple contact could have felt so _good_ , so reassuring. She wondered if that was how a child and mother had felt in an embrace, a feeling she had missed out on growing up.

The goddess woman pressed Elizabeth closer into her, Elizabeth relishing in the contact. It was over much too soon, the warmth against her breast replaced by the cold, familiar cold of absentness. She looked passed their overlapping wings to the town below. The cheers of the crowds had died down, humans and various other races disappearing into the streets. Meliodas was gone, whisked away to prepare for the night.

"Come now, dear," the goddess spoke in a warm voice, her smile kind and motherly. "Let's get ready."

Meliodas was thrust between a flurry of bodies. Instructions that never truly reached his ears being spoken non-stop as he was prepped, some of it directed towards him _(_ such as, _"are you even listening boy?"_ To which if he didn't respond he would get a firm slap on the wrist), and some not (to which if he _did_ respond he would get a firm pinch on the hand).

He was washed, perfumed, and dressed as if he was meeting with royalty. They had even managed to tame his wild locks, gelling the tresses flat against his head. He smelled sickeningly sweet, like peaches and musk and he looked just as gaudy. He was adorned in a lime green button down with starched white trousers.

He begrudgingly put up with the attention, a mixture of goddesses and druids nit picking every aspect of him.

He was finally given a moment to breathe, the countless hands retreating back to inspect their work. He loosened his collar only for his hand to be swatted away with a crisp _slap!_ An array of voices raising to reprimand him for messing with their _'handiwork'_ and how they had ' _made the pauper boy look like a prince'_ and they ' _wouldn't stand to have him ruin it_.'

"He's _perfect."_ A druid girl said, a smile Meliodas would have loved to wipe clean off her face spreading from ear to ear on her round face,

"You're one lucky man." A second druid girl said, this one had an angular face and dark brown hair. He rose a questioning brow towards her, urging her to continue without words.

"This year Lady Elizabeth, the daughter of the Supreme Deity herself is undergoing the ritual." She clapped her hands together, her eyes starry. "Many would give their lives for this opportunity!"

The daughter of the Supreme Deity? Could it have been the girl on the balcony overseeing the tournament? That may explain why her aura felt so _off_. Though, why would someone like her have to do something as trivial as this?

With more grabbing arms he was being dragged down a long corridor. All around him large paintings depicting past wars, military generals and politicians adorned the walls. He smirked when he recognized a painting showing a war he had personally taken part in some 200 years ago. The paint dark with reds and blacks from the flames and smoke of battle, red, blue and grey demons all surrounded a group of Goddesses. A lone, blond demon with his back turned, sword in hand.

He hardly had enough time to appreciate his depiction before he was pulled sharply to the left. This corridor was shorter, the paintings and images on the walls showing Goddesses and passages from holy texts from the years. He could feel a burning itch under his skin. The area was enchanted no doubt; an attempt to keep out evil doers and undesirables.

If they only knew they were willingly bringing a demon into their holy grounds. And not just any demon, but Meliodas, the first born son of the Demon king, commander of the Ten Commandments and next in line for the title of Demon king. Goddesses really did lack brain cells where they needed it most.

He was brought before a grand door, the mahogany carved with various symbols Meliodas recognized as the goddess language. Large, swirling loops that had an air of mystery surrounding them. Of all the languages he knew, the Goddesses native tongue was the most unsavory to the ear. The hissing tones and breathy notes were meant in their very nature to oppose the demons tongue, a much more robust and fluid language. Much less grating on the ears, if Meliodas would say so himself.

The druid girl spoke an incantation, the symbols beginning to glow one by one until the entire door seemed to set ablaze. He brought his hand up to shield his eyes from the burning light, a loud _thunk_ followed by the light dying down signifying it was time to enter.

The druids at his side motioned forward, urging him on without moving themselves. He squared his shoulders and strode passed the threshold, the door clicking shut behind him.

The room was large, yet dimly lit. Candelabras lined the perimeter, their flames licking against the stone walls. The scent of beeswax mixed with grapefruit in the air, the honey-sweet scent mingling with his own musky-peach and nearly driving him crazy.

The sickening push against his energy continued, as if someone out there was trying to invade his mind, influence him. Perhaps it was the enchantment that radiated off every wall of the room, or perhaps it was a goddess who had caught on to him.

His eyes lazily surveyed the room. The walls were draped over with silk drapes, the orange from the flames lighting the room making them look more yellow than the pure white they no doubt were. A slight breeze came into the space from the west where two open windows were, heavy curtains blocking out the twilight that threatened to peak through. There was a table to his right, a silver pitcher and tea pot set up with two porcelain tea cups besides it. There were a pair of arm chairs, their overstuffed cushions slightly faded from years of use.

In the center of the room was a single, large round bed, Solid gold drapes cascading around it. More goddess symbols were etched into the floor leading to and around the bed, forming a perfect circle that extended to the four walls of the room.

Meliodas was alone, no energies, goddess or otherwise could be detected. For a moment he wondered if they w _ere_ on to him, if this was just some elaborate ruse to capture him. He walked over to the bed, feeling the velvet of the golden drapes and getting a good look at the bed. Egyptian cotton and down pillows were arranged flawlessly. Surely, if they suspected him they wouldn't lead him to a chamber fit for a king.

The door clicked open once more, Meliodas whipped his head around to see the intruder. Her energy hit her before the sight of her did. It was the goddess from the balcony. The daughter of the supreme Deity.

She was veiled, as she was before. The light fabric swaying in and out with her breaths. Her wings still adorned the variety of stones as she had before, though she had replaced her loose fitting dress for one much less _modest._ Golden robes clung to her form, outlining everything she had to offer. It was a clear attempt to seduce him. If he had been anyone else, it may have worked – but he was used to being around such displays. Demon's has little use for clothing, the fabric simply got in the way. Hardly any woman, man or otherwise in the demon clan bothered to cover up, instead opting to wrap their _Hellblaze a_ round more sensitive areas.

Her hair was let down loose, the silver locks bouncing with each step she took. She played with a stray lock absentmindedly, turning her head towards the table which held the tea pot instead of facing him.

"U-um. May I offer you a drink?"

Elizabeth felt absolutely _ridiculous_. Never before in all of her years had she dressed so provocatively. A princess, the heir to the throne of the Goddess realm had no need for anything other than practicality, and that included their dress.

The golden fabric hung to her breasts tightly, parting down the middle to expose her midsection slightly. Fabric caught on her hips, rubbing her in places fabric should never be able to reach. She wanted nothing more than to change back into the dress from before, the loose fitting white gown was much less degrading to her person than _this._

She was barefoot, a single golden anklet bouncing off her heel as she walked down the corridor. The goddess woman followed close behind her, offering quiet comfort. This was it. The be all or end all. She could do it, thousands of goddesses had done so before and came out unharmed, this would be no different for her.

She had a duty to her people and to all of Britannia to succeed. She _would_ succeed.

She repeated her mantra as she approached the large wooden door. The goddess woman behind her patting her on the back one last time. "Break the ice. Offer him a drink, it'll help. Trust me."

And with that, Elizabeth was alone once again, the goddess woman having stepped back. Elizabeth reached out a hand, the writing of the Goddesses reacting to her presence and clicking open.

She entered, trying to square her shoulders and look more confident than she felt, though she couldn't help but bring her hand up to fiddle with her hair anxiously – an annoying habit she only had when she was _extremely_ nervous - when she saw him.

He was shorter than her, she could tell even from the short distance between them. He was standing in front of the large bed, one hand thumbing the drape and the other stiff at his side. He was looking at her, his green eyes piercing through any shield of bravery she had built in the past hour.

 _You can do this!_ Elizabeth repeated her mantra, turning her gaze to the side, to _anywhere_ that wasn't what she was sure the human's had called _"bedroom eyes."_

"U-um." Elizabeth cursed her stutter, "May I offer you something to drink?" She turned her gaze to the table where she could find the refreshments. Looking anywhere _but_ at him was all she could do at the moment to maintain a shred of sanity. Just so long as he didn't come too close, she would be okay.

He didn't respond, save for his attention turning towards the same point hers was. The break in his gaze set Elizabeth slightly at ease. Taking his silence as a 'yes' Elizabeth walked over to the table, grabbing hold of the pot and pouring two cups of tea.

She brought the steaming liquid to her nose, inhaling the calming scent of lavender and sage – calming herbs, herbs of confidence, she smiled, imagining the goddess woman brewing the pot with her anxiety in mind. She raised her veil just as Meliodas came to stand beside her.

Every fibre of her was on alert. She was acutely aware of his presence. The way his eyes set on her, the way his arm flexed as he grabbed the cup, the way his eyelids seemed to flutter shut, his long eyelashes kissing his toned cheeks as he brought the object up to his mouth.

She brought the cool porcelain to her lips, parting them slightly as he opened his own.

"Don't drink that." He said, his tone level and commanding. Elizabeth paused, unsure of what exactly was happening. "Why not?" She asked.

He turned to face her as he splashed the contents of his cup onto the ground. "It's been spiked."

Elizabeth blinked in confusion. "Spiked?"

"Some kind of drug. I can tell."

Elizabeth stood bewildered. "I'm sure you're mistaken."

Meliodas raised the pitcher to his nose as well, sniffing it thoughtfully before walking over to the window and dumping its contents outside. "What are you doing?!" Elizabeth set her cup down all the same as she watched him shake the pitcher until he was satisfied it was empty.

He stepped back over to the table, placing the empty pitcher down and grabbing Elizabeth's cup.

Something washed over her then, though she wasn't exactly sure what. Be it confusion or offense, it caused her to grab Meliodas by the wrist, stilling his arm and her heart. "Wait!" She called out, his eyes piercing into hers. "We would never drug someone during this important ritual! It's – It's against what we stand for as Goddesses!"

That was right. The Goddess clan was there to serve Britannia and those who lived there. Whatever baseless accusations this human was making were blatantly false – some ploy to tarnish her bloodlines legacy and nothing more.

"Oh?" Meliodas raised an eyebrow towards her, straightening his back as he took a step closer to her. Even though he was easily a foot shorter than her, his air of superiority kept Elizabeth frozen in place. "And what _do_ you stand for, goddess?"

Elizabeth tensed, clenching her fists and lowering her eyes to stare directly into his. For the first time the action didn't bring with it a shiver of dread, but rather a burning agitation from her morals being brought to question.

"I stand for my people and for all the people of Britannia." Elizabeth said confidently, a firmness to her voice that shut down any questions to the truth of her words, "And I swear on my Holy name that we would never do anything to harm you."

Meliodas seemed to mull over her words for a moment, staring deeply into her eyes. She didn't falter under his harsh gaze, holding her ground and extending her wings slightly in a display to make her look more authoritative.

"That's not what I see." Meliodas finally spoke, a tinge of something Elizabeth couldn't understand in his tone. "From where I stand I see a race who would use whatever means necessary to meet an ends."

"You're wrong." Elizabeth spoke just as firmly. "The Goddesses protect you humans. We're doing everything we can to keep you safe."

"Last I checked," Meliodas lowered his gaze to Elizabeth's tea cup, "that didn't involve drugging people."

"We wouldn't." Elizabeth said, a little less certain this time, a small voice questioning if his words _did_ hold a shred of truth. Meliodas grabbed hold of the cup and held it out for her.

"You can purify it, can't you? If it's spiked you'll notice it. If it isn't then you're right."

Elizabeth gingerly took hold of the cup. She let her power seep outwards, feeling the warmth of the purification run down from her heart to her fingertips and into the cup. The liquid began glowing softly, a sulfuric steam rising from the contents within.

The tea had been purified. She felt the taint leave the liquid, leaving nothing but cooling water and lavender behind. I was such a small amount she would have never even noticed it.

"You didn't know, did you?" Meliodas asked, his voice cold. The shocked look on Elizabeth's face gave him his answer without her saying it. They had drugged the tea. But why would they do such a thing?

"I had heard rumours of this ritual." Meliodas continued, though he wasn't entirely sure why he felt the need to level with the goddess, "of men leaving with no memories of what had taken place here, gold and treasures lining their pockets afterwards."

Elizabeth swallowed hard but did not interrupt him. "I had heard something else from a Mage who attends this ritual each year. That the men and women who take part die six months later."

Elizabeth's blood ran cold. He had to be lying. There was no way that was true. The goddesses were sworn to protect Britannia under the command of her own mother. There had to be some kind of mistake.

And yet, he was right about the tea, he was right that the goddesses wiped the participant's memories, the goddess woman from earlier had told her so herself. Just _what_ was she doing here?

Meliodas took another step closer to her. She could feel his hot breath against her neck as he looked up at her, the heat making every hair stand on end. "You all act so high and mighty, yet you use the very people who you claim to protect. You're no better than the least of the demons."

He stepped away from her and she collapsed, his words piercing into her heart with each syllable. Her wings trembled behind her, her knees scrapped against the stone beneath her, but she couldn't feel any of it. Suddenly she was too heavy, not just from the gold and jewels, but from her title, from her crown. She had no right to claim any of it if this was how the goddesses treated the Britannians.

Wrapping her wings around herself she ripped at the jewels sending them clattering to the ground in a grand display. Feathers and gold littered the ground by the time she was done, all her adornments discarded around her.

Meliodas watched bemused as she broke down, trembling as she took the veil from her head, the last of her luxurious garb to be removed. Her wings shook, small beads of blood staining the white from where feathers had broken off. Everything about this goddess was different, unfamiliar. It stoked a flame within Meliodas that he hasn't felt before – the mystery of her, the curiosity that emanated off of her entire being completely enthralling to the demon.

"You're right." Elizabeth breathed out, her voice hitching as she tried to hold back tears. "I do not deserve any of this."

"You don't." Meliodas spat out, slightly less cold than he had intended. He had it on the tip of his tongue to reprimand her, to blame her for the death of thousands of demon children, thousands of his kin just for the sake of appearances with the Humans and other Britannian races. He wanted to chastise her for claiming to be holy and mighty while in actuality they were worse than the "Demons" they claimed were the enemy.

But something stilled his tongue. Something about her trembling form stopped him, made his hearts ache. She was a pawn to her blood just as he once was – still was. Truth was, no matter how hard he tried to gain his freedom from his father, he was constantly under his watchful eye. He could never escape. Hundreds of years of rebellion had taught him it was all in vain – that it was better to simply lay down and do as you were told without protest.

He moved towards the window, drawing the heavy curtain back and bathing the dim room in the orange glow of twilight. He could hear Elizabeth rasping behind him, feel the uncertainty from her aura. In a way, he pitied her. He had been there once when he had begun having his doubts about his father. Something many called his teenage rebellion, though his doubts still weighed heavily in his mind to this day.

A flicker off to the distance caught his eye. A flame off to the distance, the faint sound of screaming and chanting. _What was happening?_

Meliodas leaned against the edge of the window trying to get a better look. He strained his ears, trying to catch what they were saying.

That's when he heard it, the cries and shouts of "Demon! Demon! Chase out the Demon Child!"

That couldn't be right. The Ten Commandments would have been off to the East by now having been issued orders before Meliodas left to raze Cornwall. The only person he could think of that they may be -the only person who was dumb enough to go looking for him -

Estarossa.

" _Fuck!"_ Meliodas was at the door in seconds. Elizabeth raised her head, watching him as he pounded against the wood to no avail. " _Open god dammit!"_

"What's wrong?" Elizabeth stood, her wings limp behind her. Meliodas continued to pound against the door. " _I won't let you bastards touch him!"_ He screamed at no one, his fists turning bloody with each successive hit.

The desperation in his voice made Elizabeth's heart race in her chest. The raw anger and fear genuine and raw.

She placed a hand against the wood, the symbols responding instantly. The door swung open, Meliodas looking at her incredulously, questioning her with his gaze.

"Whatever you want to protect, I'll help." She said, her eyes locked with his. She watched as his expression softened for a split second, she was almost sure she imagined it. He gave her a small nod before rushing down the corridor, Elizabeth close behind.

Perhaps it was his words, or perhaps it was her own self-doubt, but Elizabeth felt like she had to prove herself to Meliodas. She couldn't speak for her mother, or for the other goddesses, but she could speak for herself. And she refused to be a person who used others for their own gain.

Meliodas took off at full sprint, Elizabeth hovering closely behind as he maneuvered through the empty city streets. Papers and streamers lay discarded everywhere. Meals, still steaming left on tables with no one around to eat them. It was as if the entire town had been deserted at the drop of a hat.

But she could hear it, the mob chants towards the direction Meliodas was headed.

" _Kill the boy!"_

" _Get him before he gets us!"_

" _Kill him!"_

" _Kill the demon!"_

Demon? Why was she rushing towards the aid of a demon with a man she had just met?

She didn't have time to dwell over it when they turned another sharp corner, fire and pitchforks raised high as the cities inhabitants surrounded around one central point.

Meliodas crashed into the bodies of the mob while Elizabeth opted to fly higher for an aerial view. She could see the mop of blond as it pushed through bodies slowly, towards the boy in question at the center of the crowd.

He was young, his grey hair tossed and bloody, soot from where a flame had undoubtedly caught. His eyes were pitch black, the tell-tale mark above his left brow showing his heritage clearly. Yet, he didn't fight back, didn't make any moves as the crowds stomped, punched and prodded at him. He had a nasty gash on his left forearm and was bleeding steadily, his coat in tatters. The sounds of his cries pierced through the roars of the mob before abruptly dying out as he lost consciousness.

" _You all act so high and mighty, yet you use the very people who you claim to protect,"_ Meliodas' words rang loudly through her head. Who had she sworn to protect? The humans? The citizens of Britannia? Or was it really that she swore to protect those who couldn't protect themselves?

" _You're no better than the least of the demons."_

Elizabeth swooped down, fanning out her wings as a show of power. The mob stilled, taking a step back to allow the goddess to dispatch the demon once and for all.

Instead, Elizabeth took the boy into her arms, tears threatening to fall. All around her she could hear the outraged cries to fell him, to land the fatal blow. Meliodas finally broke through to the front of the crowd, his eyes frantically moving between Elizabeth to the boy in her arms, an unthinkable burning rage in his eyes clouding over the emerald.

A man screamed, throwing a rock at them. It hit Elizabeth just above the temple, but she did not falter. She took the boy closer into her arms, brushing his hair back and out of his face as a second human tossed a stone towards her.

It landed against Elizabeth's arm, the red spot from the impact clear against her milky skin. A trail of blood began to seep down her temple, the crimson soaking into a loose lock of silvery hair.

" _Be well."_ Meliodas heard her say, bringing his brother closer still, pressing her forehead against his own – her body being pelted with stones and various objects.

Estarossa stirred in her arms, his black eyes fluttering open. Panic was clear on his face when he noticed where he was – who he was nearest. Meliodas rushed up towards his brother, catching a few stones that had flown his way.

Elizabeth gave a weak smile towards Meliodas, blood dripping down her chin and onto Estarossa's coat. She handed the boy over to Meliodas carefully once he had fully regained consciousness, nothing but the tatters of his clothes left of his injuries.

Elizabeth raised to her full height unsteadily, the world around her spinning dangerously. Once she was sure she had her footing she spread her wings out to their full length, allowing the awe of her form to overtake the crowds.

"What do you think you're _doing?!"_ She yelled out, all the screaming around her ceasing in a second. "Against a _child?_ Against someone who can't even fight back?!"

Meliodas watched Elizabeth in awe. She was defending his brother, healed him – a _demon._ She had taken direct fire for her actions, a few stones still flying towards her. He watched as she wobbled unsteadily on her feet, though she stubbornly held her ground as she continued.

"Shame on you all! I had expected better from you!" She chastised, her voice booming through the crowd, each syllable being absorbed by the crowd. Her aura pulsed outwards, stable and sure. Her back was turned towards the setting sun, outlining her in a burning outline that amplified her radiance.

Meliodas brought his brother to his feet, supporting his weight over his shoulder. The mob had begun to scatter, resentful eyes turning back towards the demons and goddess as they went. Elizabeth held her ground, unmoving until they were alone.

She stumbled as she slowly turned to face the two demons, a faint smile on her lips, blood drying in her hair, the sun hitting her face in a way that made her very being seem to glow. His hearts swelled, a feeling completely foreign to him – though not entirely unpleasant.

She wobbled, her azure eyes losing focus just as her legs gave out beneath her. Meliodas skidded on his knees, no doubt staining his trousers as he caught her.

Elizabeth blinked, fighting to maintain her focus, her eyes falling lazily towards Estarossa. "You… Okay?"

The younger demon blushed furiously, nodding his head violently. Estarossa had always been an open book, a trait Meliodas had belittled in the past – though in this moment he found himself envying his younger brothers, understanding why they held on to their childish emotions for the first time.

"I'm glad." Elizabeth's whole face lit up as she smiled. She had done it, she had protected the child – demon or otherwise. She was not a goddess who would discriminate as her kin had, she would lead the goddesses down a different path.

Meliodas brushed Elizabeth's bangs from her face, her dried blood flaking off with strands of hair that had been glued down. Fucking human's hit her right on the pressure point. It was a miracle she even maintained consciousness as long as she had. Her tenacity struck Meliodas, his respect for her gaining hold.

He reached as deep down as he could into his energy, grasping for any shred of his power he could get hold of. Once he located it, he brought his energy outwards, a small purple band materializing over his left arm and hand. It was faint, but it would do.

He pressed his palm against her temple, allowing his power to ease away her injury. The effort should have been effortless, but the suppressant potion still coursing through his veins made him fight just to hold that small amount of his power.

Once her eyes started to open he removed his hand from her soft skin, the silk of her hair streaming though his fingers. "Estarossa."

"Y-yes, big brother?" The younger demon stood at full attention.

"Go home."

"B-but –"

" **Go home."** He was stern, unrelenting. Estarossa flinched back slightly before reluctantly turning and sauntering away, his head hung low.

Meliodas took Elizabeth into his arms, her wings brushing against his strong arms and sending a shiver down his spine. Her eyes moved beneath her lids, her eyelashes flittering over her flushed cheeks and her lips slightly parted.

"Why would you protect a demon child?" Meliodas asked earnestly. "Any other goddess would have slain him on sight."

"Because." Elizabeth opened one eye, gazing up at him tiredly, "He couldn't protect himself."

"But he can grow." Meliodas continued, the human's words echoing in his mind and causing him to grit his teeth. "He can come back stronger and slaughter the town."

"Perhaps." Elizabeth said softly, breathy, "But perhaps if he had been shown kindness instead of resentment he wouldn't have grown to despise the other races."

"He's a demon!" Meliodas struggled to control his anger, she was tricking him, she had to be. There was no way a goddess would –

"If I've learned anything today, it's that your blood doesn't mean you're good or bad."

The sun lowered behind the horizon, bathing the world in a dim darkness. Even now she seemed to radiate a warmth Meliodas had never experienced before. Even as his eyes adjusted to the darkness she could still make out her pale white wings, the silver shine of her hair - the life in her eyes. Her breaths were even and steady as she rested, Meliodas' suppressed power not enough to fully recover her but enough that a short rest should see her off well.

This Goddess challenged everything he had known, everything he had come to understand. His hearts swelled with that same unfamiliar feeling as she scanned over her form, taking in every detail he could, his legs carrying him towards his destination on their own.

Elizabeth woke up on a plush surface, a silky warmth surrounding her. Her head throbbed slightly above her temple, though it was fading away quickly. She rose, allowing the blanket to fall on top her lap and letting her wings stretch out.

She was back in the ritual room, the golden drapes obscuring her view to the room around her. She shimmied to the edge of the bed, gently gliding out.

"Hey." Meliodas was seated on one of the off white arm chairs, a porcelain cup in his right hand.

"How long was I asleep?" Elizabeth asked awkwardly. He had brought her back after she had collapsed from her head injury. ' _Some goddess I am'_

"15 minutes." He said as he stood up, the cup firmly held between his hands as he seemed to study it. "What you did out there…" He began, cutting himself short and leaving a pregnant silence between them.

"…You're from the demon clan, aren't you?" Elizabeth finally asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. "You seemed familiar with that demon child back there, so I just figured…"

"Yes." Meliodas responded cutting her off, his eyes continuing to study the tea cup thoughtfully. "I am."

"I meant what I said." Elizabeth continued, taking a step towards Meliodas and placing a hand over the cup. "Earlier, I mean. About your blood not defining who you are. After all, I've met two demon's today who were nothing like the tales I've been raised on."

"Well, I could say the same about you, goddess." He smirked softly, almost conflicted. His expression sent a pang through her heart, not just for her sake, but for his. The conflict between them has been long and pointless – a war based on ancient bad blood and corrupt ideals.

Elizabeth grabbed hold of both Meliodas' hands, cupping them within her own. The hard callouses rubbed against her own smooth, unworked hands. She splayed her fingers over his, drawing soft circles over his hard flesh. He rose his attention from the cup to her eyes, looking up at her like he was seeing her – truly seeing her, and not _through_ her – for the first time.

The green of his eyes seemed to swirl, the light from the flickering candles and starlight mixing to add orange and blue specks in his emerald. It was hypnotizing to watch, the way his pupils dilated and quivered, the small blossoms of light igniting in his gaze.

She felt heavy under his observation. Was he seeing her as she was seeing him? All mystifying and curious, beauty yet to be explored? She unconsciously licked her lips, wetting the dry flesh. He watched her every movement, his eyes following the move of her tongue like a predator watching its prey.

She repeated the motion and he swallowed hard, a slight blush tinting his cheeks. His hands tensed under her own, but he made no move to remove them, and neither did she.

The thoughts swirling around in Meliodas' head wouldn't cease, his hearts were beating rapidly in his chest. He felt warm and cold at the same time, like he was breathing yet suffocating simultaneously. Each stroke of her fingers over his own sent sparks through him entire being. _What was she doing to him?_

And so he moved in, allowing his instincts to take control rather than his clouded head. Closer, _closer_ , until the space between them was nothing but a breath away. She was leaning back slightly against the bed making her eye level with him. Her sweet breath warmed his lips and he parted his lips to taste it, he wanted to taste _her_ , to see if her lips were as sweet as her scent, as firm as her gaze into his own.

Their noses brushed against each other's, her eyes closing part way, her eyelashes masking the darkening storm that was brewing in her azure blues. She licked her lips again, her breath hitching in her throat as he watched the movement – slow and delicious.

The distance between them was closed, their eyes fluttering shut in ecstasy from the contact. Their lips melded together, dancing awkwardly at first until they had established a comfortable pace. Meliodas took her cheek into his right hand, pressing her forward to sit her down as he angled her head backwards for better access.

Every nerve in his body was alight, his mind was in overdrive. He drank in her small whines and gasps hungrily, instinct taking over his being. She broke away gasping for air, her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. He could hear her hearts beating loud in his ears. He placed his free hand on her chin, gently tilting her upwards again and locking lips again, unsatisfied with just a short kiss.

Meliodas growled low in his throat when their lips collided again, the guttural sound causing Elizabeth's toes to curl. Her core was suddenly feeling _very_ hot. She tried to rub her thighs together to relieve the budding pressure, only to be stopped by one of Meliodas' legs lining up between hers. She moaned her disappointment, the vibration evoking a purr from the man slowly inching his way over her form.

Elizabeth splayed her wings out against the bed as she lost her balance, her head bouncing off the plush mattress and her hair falling in a messy halo around her head. The gold curtains over her seemed to shimmer in the breeze coming in. The space between them was agonizing as Meliodas climbed over her, shaking lightly.

She gently ran her palms over either side of his face, relishing in the softness of him. She softly brushed his bangs out of his eyes, wanting to see the stormy green as she pulled him in once more, the kiss deep and needy. He swiped his tongue against her lower lip, nipping at the soft flesh and eliciting a sigh from the goddess.

He dipped his tongue into her mouth, exploring hungrily. Elizabeth moved her own tongue awkwardly, dancing around his own sloppily. She could feel his arms shaking as he cupped her face in his arms, his chest laying almost flat with her own. If she was a bad kisser he didn't give any indication of it, his mouth melding against her own with hot desire.

She gripped at his hair as he shifted his weight to one side. He carefully brought one hand down to caress her face, passed her jaw, down her neck, her shoulder, her ribs…

She let out a breathy moan, a sound Meliodas was growing addicted to. Her lips were sweet, her mouth hot, skin unbearably soft. He fought to maintain control, his suppressed nature clawing for any grip it could get. His hands continued to lazily glide over her form, her knees pressing firmly against his waist. Her chest heaved heavily, her breathing growing erratic as her own hands began exploring his body. She traced over his shoulder blades, his arms, moving down to his chest and stomach.

He broke from the kiss panting for air. He drunk in the dishevelled look of her, her eyes lidded and dark, her lips pink and swollen, hair tangled above her head.

"M-meliodas." She panted, each syllable of his name making the growing tightness in his pants worse. "What was that…?"

He lowered down to her cheek, giving her a soft peck. "You don't know what a kiss is?"

"No, I-I do. But that was –" He trailed his lips up to her ear, blowing lightly against the flesh. He felt her shutter beneath him. "I've never – You're shaking…"

He nibbled at her ear, drawing a breathy moan as she squirmed. Her arms held him tight against her. "Don't worry about me." He commanded. She nodded and set back to his ministrations.

He licked the curve of her ear slowly, committing its shape to memory. Each deep breath or moan she released only serving to stoke his instinctual desire to _take_ her.

Her body was hot against his fingertips as he trailed them upwards from her hips to her ribs, then inwards. She shook lightly as her brushed over the bare skin just below her breasts, his teeth pulling at her ear lobe as he slowly adjusted himself downwards.

He trailed kisses from her mouth down to her neck, suckling softly at the sensitive flesh as he explored the shape of her with his wandering fingers. He sucked hard just above her collarbone, nipping at the flesh every now and then. He released her with a soft, wet _pop_ and he licked at the mark, soothing the injury and inspecting his handiwork before continuing downwards.

Her own hands began exploring his chest, having snaked their way up and under his shirt that was suddenly _much_ too confining. Without removing his breaking contact he hastily unbuttoned the invading fabric, tossing it carelessly off the edge of the bed in one fluid motion. Elizabeth's hands set to work straight away, dancing over the hills and valleys of his sculpted figure.

Meliodas reached the golden fabric that obstructed him on his path. Nipping at her skin again he pushed the garb aside. Elizabeth moaned as cool air touched her bare chest, her nipples hardening under Meliodas' hungry glance. Her head was spinning and all she could tangibly think about was the man on top of her and w _hat_ he was doing to her.

She opened her eyes to see him glide his hands upwards, his head dipping down to kiss at the space between her mounds. He pinched at her peaks, the sensation making her groan loudly as static electricity shot down to her core. "M-meliodas!"

He growled into her chest and she wrapped her arms around his solid back, his muscles taught. He kissed his way around her breasts, pinching and pulling at her hardened peaks in a way that had Elizabeth squirming and gasping out his name. His mouth descended down onto her nipple, his tongue swirling around the sensitive organ with a purpose. The both moaned, the vibration from Meliodas' mouth making her scratch at his back in mind blowing pleasure.

He moved from one breast to the other, giving it the same attention as he had given before. He bit the flesh sharply making Elizabeth nearly scream from the sensation. The burning pressure between her legs was becoming more and more unbearable as time went on and she desperately tried to grind against _anything_ to relieve it.

She brought her hips up, finding release from Meliodas' leg still pressed between her. The contact sparked a groan from the demon who promptly released Elizabeth's moistened peak.

She whined in protest, her mind hazed over entirely. Meliodas was just as worn down as she was, panting heavily, his face flushed and his chest beading with sweat. He cupped her face again, bringing her in for a wet kiss.

"If you want to stop tell me now." He struggled to get the words out. Never before had he been so ready and so _afraid_ at the same time. He was scared of losing control, of hurting her. He was scared he would break her just as he had seemed to break everything else good in his life. "I don't think I'll be able to stop if we go any further."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him down for her own needy kiss. He let her take the lead, allowing her tongue to flick over his lips and enter into his mouth lazily. "It's okay." She said between kisses. "I want this."

And she did. Not just for the ritual, in all truth she couldn't care less about it anymore – but because she wanted what _she_ wanted for once in her life. She wanted to break free, to release herself from the shackles of her station, or her crown. Meliodas had made her feel like _her_ for the first time in her life, not just some puppet of her mother. In the short time they had known each other he had broken her down and built her up, made her realize what she hadn't seen so plainly in front of her before.

His hands trailed down her side, tracing the rise and fall of her heaving breasts down to the valley of her stomach and the cliff of her hips. He touched her like she was fine china about to break, each lingering brush against her skin gentle and calculated. He thumbed at the fabric clinging over her core, stretching the material and letting it snap back against her. He groaned into her mouth as she grinded against his leg again, his fingers digging into her hips.

"Gods, Elizabeth." He breathed out in an almost animalistic hiss, his mouth returning to her neck as his hands began moving down her thighs. She twitched and squirmed under his touch, each inch of skin he touched set ablaze in a pure fire.

He continued downwards, kissing over her breasts and down her ribs, his hands splaying across the inside of her thighs. He kissed down to her belly button, stopping at the landmark to lick around the small opening. The moan that escaped past her lips made Meliodas' member twitch with need. Each reaction he got from her was like a prize. He dipped his tongue into the crevice of her belly, her hands shooting to grip at his hair, her moans like the finest composition to his ears.

He licked his way down to her hip bones, suckling the flesh as he moved his hands to her core. Even through the fabric he could feel the heat of her, sweet and wet. She bucked at the contact, desperate for the pressure. He nipped at her hip as punishment. "Patience is a virtue, goddess."

Elizabeth groaned her disapproval as Meliodas continued his slow assault against her, his fingers gently skirting over her womanhood. "Gods, you're so _wet_."

"W-wha-AH!" Elizabeth yelled as Meliodas brought his mouth down over her core without warning. The sweet heat from his panting breath lighting her on fire. He licked at her wetness that stained her cloth, satisfied at the taste of her essence.

Her fingers worked at his scalp, pulling at his tussled tresses as he ripped the barrier between him and her core. Elizabeth gave a breathy gasp at the sudden rush of cool air against her exposed womanhood, the burning warmth of Meliodas' mouth quickly replacing the icy cold of the room.

She was sweating, her heart was pounding loudly in her ears. Meliodas lapped slowly against her womanhood, stopping to pay extra attention to a bundle of nerves that had her back arching off the bed and wailing uncontrollably. Each lick against her brought the cord in her center dangerously close to snapping, each passing moment making her slowly lose all control.

He removed his mouth from her suddenly, the cold returning and making her shiver. She gazed up towards the demon who had a finger in his mouth, wetting the digit thoroughly.

"W-what are you doing?" Elizabeth asked earnestly, her words slurred from her pleasure high.

He gave her a devilish smirk, his middle finger popping out of her mouth wetly before he returned to his previous task, giving her one long lick before lining up his finger and entering her slowly.

She clenched around him making it near impossible to insert his finger in all the way. She was so _tight_ around him, his own member twitching painfully in anticipation, begging to get any form of attention. He pumped in and out of her purposefully. Each short thrust making her hips raise off the bed to meet his movements.

When he felt her relax he inserted a second finger into her, her back arching from the fullness she was experiencing. He continued to lap away at her sweet bundle, taking it into his mouth and humming her name against her. She moaned loudly, bordering on a scream. He repeated the action, spelling out her name into the organ as he pumped into her on time with his hums.

Elizabeth was seeing stars. She was vaguely aware she screamed out his name, her back raising fully off the bed and pressing into his face as she tightened around his fingers. Her cord finally snapping in one grand release, her sweet essence exploding onto his hand and mouth.

Elizabeth lay panting, a thin layer of sweat clinging to her form despite the chill of the night. Meliodas licked her release off his digits, swiping the nectar into his mouth greedily. She was sweeter than honey, more intoxicating than the finest ales – it was addicting.

As Elizabeth came down from her high he kicked off his trousers, finally letting his straining member free. Elizabeth watched through glazed eyes as his cock twitched anxiously, pearls of pre-cum already forming at the head.

Suddenly her anxiety returned. Would he even _fit_? That was a ridiculous question, right? Of course it would fit! It had to!

But he was so _large._ That couldn't have been normal. Maybe it was a demon trait? Elizabeth found herself licking her lips all the same in anxious anticipation. She gingerly reach out, stroking the hot flesh with her finger tips.

Meliodas froze, taken off guard. He hissed out a curse as Elizabeth grew braver, running her finger against his length from the tip to the base. He shuddered against her touch but otherwise didn't move, allowing her free reign to experiment.

She took the whole of his manhood into her hand, giving an experimental squeeze as another pearl of pre-cum beaded at the head. She thumbed the hot liquid, swirling it around as Meliodas purred and bucked in her grip.

"Fuck Elizabeth." He gasped as she stroked him softly at first, then picked up speed. "That feels so _good._ "

She shifted her weight so she was on her knees and crawled towards Meliodas, his cock firmly in the palm of her hand. Feeling emboldened by his reactions she gave the head a soft kiss. His member jerked in response and he hissed out a low curse in the demon tongue. Elizabeth licked her lips and kissed him again, his hands flying to her scalp and stroking her hair.

Carefully, she took him into her mouth. The moisture and heat nearly making him lose himself then and there. She popped him out before taking him back into her mouth, licking around the tip lightly as she stroked him.

Meliodas pushed her backwards, raising her off her knees and throwing her against the pile of silk pillows towards the head of the bed. She panted out his name as he lined himself up with her. He couldn't wait anymore, he needed some release _now_ or he would lose whatever delicate control he had left in him.

Feeling her opening against his tip, he steadied himself with his forearms on either side of her face. He kissed her as he gave a slow push. He could feel her entrance push against him, fighting against his penetration but he kept up the assault, kissing her as he gave more pressure.

He felt her give under him, his head slipping into her slick tightness. They both sighed deeply into each other's mouths. Meliodas raised himself slightly to watch her expression as he continued to push into her.

"Open your eyes." He said huskily, "I want to see you."

She obliged, opening her azure eyes to meet his emeralds. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes which Meliodas promptly kissed away. Finally, he felt resistance. He returned to her lips as he gave one last push, fully burying himself inside her. She groaned into his mouth, he stroked her cheek, wiping away the stray tears that fell.

"You okay?" He asked between kisses, his touch against her damp cheeks comforting.

"It hurts a little but… I'm okay." She panted heavily, the tears slowly ceasing. Regardless, he gave her a moment to get adjusted to him. She pulsed around him, massaging him with her maddening tightness.

Elizabeth could feel something foreign and exciting blossom inside her, with each passing moment the dull ache in her core turned into hot need instead. The warmth of his member inside her slowly driving her to the edge of madness.

Meliodas pulled out slowly, watching Elizabeth's expressions. Once he was nearly all the way out he slowly thrust back in, a heady moan escaping from Elizabeth's lips.

He picked up the pace slowly, kissing Elizabeth and monitoring her reactions for any discomfort. His instincts screaming to _claim_ and protect simultaneously. She shook under him, her hips slowly raising to meet his thrusts as he picked up speed. Her eyes had begun to flutter shut again as he kissed her passionately.

He cupped her face in his arms, kissing her lips, chin, jaw and eyes as he pounded into her. Her moans and the slap of flesh against flesh a growing crescendo that seemed to bounce off the walls around them. He could feel her tightening around him, her breaths becoming sporadic.

He leaned back, pulling her up with him still inside her. She let out a sharp gasp, her chest bouncing seductively from the sudden motion. Her wings trembled behind her as she sighed from the position she found herself in. He had reached so much deeper than before like this, hitting a spot that had her seeing white.

Meliodas kept a tight grip against her hips, his fingers digging into her flesh. ahae began rocking her back and forth. A delicious friction erupting inside of Elizabeth, the spot from before making her lose control. She rocked against him on her own, his hands moving to give her neglected breasts some much needed attention.

Elizabeth grinded against his core, yelping out in satisfaction as she felt her stomach clenching violently in mind blowing pleasure. Meliodas could feel his own end coming quick, the tightly help rope inside him seconds away from snapping.

He thrust upwards, hitting Elizabeth even deeper than he had before and making her scream to new levels. One more thrust and he could feel her clamping down around him, his name like a prayer on her lips.

He rode her out until he reached his own released three thrusts later, his hot seed painting her insides. Elizabeth collapsed on top of him, panting heavily into his ear as he rode out his own high, her slickness continuing to milk him for all he was worth.

He stayed inside her until he had gone limp, opting to pull and pull her into his arms. He could see the love marks he had left all over her skin, a sense of pride washing over him. She nuzzled into the crook between his arm and torso, resting her head against his breast.

"You know, you can join me." She breathed sleepily into his chest. He could barely hear her over the sound of his own pounding hearts.

"Hmm?" he responded, fighting to stay awake.

But she was already asleep by his side, her soft, even breaths steady in his ears, lulling him off to his own slumber moments later.


	3. Part Three: The Aftermath

_But both of the sides,_

 _Fighting me,_

 _So angel, monster,_

 _Bye, bye,_

 _No,_

 _Both of the sides,_

 _Bye, bye._

 _-WDL, Monster Vs. Angel_

* * *

 _ **Part Three: The Aftermath**_

Elizabeth stretched her legs out, the limbs tangling in the plush material comfortably. Her wings were spread out behind her, their weight supported on the cushion of the mattress. She tilted her chin upwards, rubbing her face against the silk covering of a down pillow. The scent of sex and incense was heavy in the air, tickling the goddess's nose as she stirred in a half-awake, half-asleep state.

Morning songbirds could be heard singing gleefully outside, a slight _clink_ from metal hitting porcelain reverberated through the room. Elizabeth stretched out her arm towards where the male had been hours before, only for her fingers to graze against cold covers. She opened her eyes, the invading morning light causing her sleep-heavy lids to water.

She was alone, the other half of the bed made up perfectly.

The _clink_ sound resonated again and Elizabeth pushed herself out of bed lazily. The heavy blankets that covered her naked form slid down her body, pooling at her waist as she shimmied to the edge.

She let out a yawn, stretching her wings and rubbing her eyes as she stood up, the cool stone floor jolting her senses. She pushed aside the golden drapes, uncaring of her nakedness.

"Good Morning, my Lady." The goddess woman smiled, a cup of tea held delicately in her hands. "I trust you slept well?"

Elizabeth's face burned and she quickly grabbed the drapes to cover herself. "I-I didn't think it would be you!"

The woman smiled, a slight laugh escaping from her pressed lips. "Of course, my Lady. How are you feeling today?"

Elizabeth located her dress which was laying crumpled and tattered at her feet. She quickly reached for the garb, pulling it over her body with one motion and tying the hem to her waist to hide her lower regions from sight.

"Now that I think about it…" Elizabeth started. "I feel really… I guess, relaxed? Happy? I don't know how to describe it."

The goddess woman handed her the tea, the warm steam dancing around the rim of the cup and into the air, bringing with it the scent of sweet citrus and hibiscus. Elizabeth ran her thumb around the edge of the cup, the steam seemingly dancing around her digit.

It was true. Elizabeth _did_ feel different. She felt complete, like something that she never knew had been missing was suddenly found. The world had seemed brighter, it's colours and sounds sharper, clearer. Though, one thing tugged at the back of her mind.

" _Where's Meliodas?"_

The goddess woman flinched, just enough to be noticed, as if she had been taken off guard. She turned her back to Elizabeth, arranging a bouquet of flowers on the table behind her. "The ritual has been completed. He has been escorted out."

"And what will become of him?"

"He has received his reward and will live out the rest of his life in comfort."

"Oh…" Elizabeth lowered her gaze, the goddess woman watching her movements carefully. "I would have liked to spend some more time with him…"

The goddess woman's large wings twitched, her motions stilled. "He has left, and it is time for us to leave as well." She turned, the same sweet smile plastered to her face. "It would do you best to forget about him, dear. The human's do not live long, and he will not remember the night."

Elizabeth stilled her fingers that had been absentmindedly tracing the fine details of the china. She was right, she had told her herself that they would wipe his memories after the night was over. But, he wasn't a human – and from what Elizabeth understood their magic didn't have the same effects on his clan as it did the others. She brought her drink to her lips, her night with Meliodas replaying in her mind.

She knew this would happen, that she would have to leave and report back to her mother… yet, somehow, she still felt sad.

Steam condensed on her still fingers, small pearls of warm water forming over her skin. "By the way, I think you should check on security for future rituals."

"Why is that?" The woman asked genuinely.

"The drinks yesterday were drugged." Elizabeth continued as she brought the tea to her lips, the woman adjacent to her still as a stone. "It was a good thing we had noticed or I may not have survived the night."

Elizabeth wondered how he was able to detect something so slight that even she couldn't. Normally she could f _eel_ the taint – the lingering malevolent thoughts, the poison's impure signature. Were demon's senses keener towards such things? Maybe he just smelt it?

She inhaled her drink deeply, nothing but citrus and hibiscus. She remembered the warmth of her fingertips against the cool china, the sizzle as her powers cleared the taint. She closed her eyes, her power rising in her fingertips again, mimicking her actions from the night before.

A burning smell stung her nose, her finger's receiving electric shocks from where they made contact with the object. Her eyes shoot open, the woman's smile fading to something darker, angrier.

"It was only a mild sedative." The woman began, "It would have had no effect on you."

"B-but why?" Elizabeth watched the burned away drug of her tea evaporated in the air.

The goddess cocked her head to the side, as if the answer was obvious. "It's a precaution. The human's may have ulterior motives. It is to keep us safe."

"And now?"

The woman paused, her body unmoving save for her wings which seemed to flutter with her agitation. "A test."

 _A lie._ Elizabeth thought, a voice almost not her own. She could feel the world around her shift and warp. Had this woman always seemed so aloof, so uncaring? Her words crass, a sting to them that cut through the air like knives. Elizabeth had compared her to a mother figure just yesterday, but now, she couldn't trust her.

"We shouldn't linger here too long. There is much to do back in the goddess realm." The goddess was cold, to the point. "Each minute we spend here is another the demon's use to grab hold over Britannia."

As if being summoned two more goddesses clad in armor entered the room, no doubt her escorts. The air around her shifted wearily, as if the earth itself were trying to convey something to her. Was this what it felt like to connect with the power of the land, or something else entirely?

Her hair's stood on end. Never before had she felt this way, much less from her own kin. Her night with Meliodas had changed something in her, had allowed her to see passed some of her innocence into the ugly truth below.

But she was next in line to the throne. She had to power to change the corruption from within. She held sway, all she had to do was utilize it to the fullest of her abilities.

* * *

The sun had barely begun to peek over the horizon when Meliodas was awoken by a suffocating energy. He could feel the fire deep within him begin to spread, the familiar heat in his veins growing stronger by the second. He was quickly getting closer to his time limit. Soon, his full power would be unleashed and his identity would surely be revealed to the goddesses.

His eyes felt like lead and he struggled to open them. His limbs wouldn't respond to what he was telling them to do, his movements sluggish and clumsy. Pieces of information clicked into place. The reason for the drugs, the tournament, the treasures, why each participant died soon after.

The goddesses were robbing people's life from them, adding it to their own. They needed strong participants to get optimal results, the trade-off for their very lives a couple months' worth of luxury and broken families.

His returning power's slowly brought feeling back to his limbs and he rose slowly from the bed. The goddess beside him did not stir in the slightest. He looked over her sleeping face, her skin illuminated by moonlight that shone through the drapes. She had a necklace of small bruises on her collar bone, her lips were parted slightly, her hair a tangled halo above her head on the pillow.

He contemplated killing her there for a moment, his hellblaze itching just under his fingertips, but he held it back. She could have sold him out, he was quite literally in the belly of the beast – it would have been easy to let slip his identity once she discovered it for herself. She could have fought him herself, she could have easily slain Estarossa as well, but she stayed her hand.

He grabbed his things, opting to go shirtless rather than wear that stupid green shirt again. He looked over Elizabeth once more, his heart swelling once more with that full feeling. He absentmindedly brushed a stray silver lock behind her ear, leaning in and pressing his lips to her temple. She stirred slightly, his lips perking as if she was trying to kiss him back, a small smile to cracking on his face from her subconscious response.

He leapt out of the window and into the night sky, landing gingerly on the ground below. His hearts ached for him to stay, to hold the goddess in his arms as he whispered sweet nothing's into her ear, his finger's lazily combing through her long hair. He quickly shook the images from his mind. Tonight was tonight. He had gotten what he had come for – even if he left with more than he had bargained for.

* * *

200 long years had passed since then. Not a day went by that Meliodas didn't imagine the goddesses face, be it in passing memory or careful contemplation.

Whenever stress from his station had warped his mind he would see her face, imagine her form leaning against him, hear her voice in his ear telling him everything would be alright.

Other times, when the heat of battle - or even just when his blood - ran too hot he would imagine her in more sultry ways. Naked, panting his name, her finger's scraping against his back, the feel of her slick tightness as she rode him.

Sometimes he would see a flash of silver on the human's city streets or in the corner of his eye on the battlefield. He wondered if she had joined the efforts yet or if they had locked her up in some tower just waiting for some dragon to come steal her away…

In the end he never officially reported about the ritual the goddesses had been putting on – nor had he caught word of one going on in decades. Whenever he did catch word it was over with before he even had a chance to arrive.

In the meantime, he occupied most of his time traveling Britannia.

Estarossa often followed him on his travels, as he did now. His younger brother falling into step behind Meliodas as they walked a worn down dirt path. They were currently between cities, no real destination in sight other than whatever town lay closest.

Suddenly the air ran cold. A faint energy carried on the breeze from the woods beyond the brothers. Estarossa seemed to pick up on it too, his right hand gripping to his sword and swallowing hard. Meliodas took hold of his own weapon, nodding towards his younger brother. _We're going._

The two took to the shadows, falling in line behind the thick bush in hopes to take the source of the energy off guard. It had notes of goddess, though something was _off._ The feeling had Meliodas' mind racing, the familiarity of the aura sending bone chilling anxiety down his spine and stiffening his body.

They reached a clearing beyond the thicket, the towering trees giving way to meadow flowers and crumbling marble. Before them lay a grand coliseum, long forgotten with the passing of eras. Broken statues heads that stood much taller than him littered the ground, ivy and fauna growing up the stone and inside of cracks. Dirt gave way to stone tiles, darkened from the elements. A grand viewing area stood towering around a central stage, the white marble steps leading high into the sky.

The aura permeated through the air around them, the familiar twinge to it making Meliodas' heart race. He rose his right arm signalling Estarossa to stay put and hidden away. He knew his brother would obey -no matter how reluctantly – allowing for him to walk into the amphitheatre alone.

He released his grip from the hilt of his sword, the scabbard going slack against his hip. He squared his shoulders, pushing out his senses to feel for the energies source; to feel for _her._

The energy moved, rushing from its position north to directly overhead.

She was just as radiant as in his memories. The blue of the clear sky at her back outlining her wings, her hair flying behind her from a breeze. She was wearing something he would have expected a human to wear as supposed to a goddess - a skin tight top, short skirt and colourful tights.

She was in front of him in a blink of an eye and he found himself frozen by her. Her eyes seemed to glow, her intense gaze sharp on him. She had a glowing hand on him in a second later, the burn of her ark sizzling against his cheek.

He made no effort to move, instead staring her down as she did the same, black meeting sapphire.

"How did you find this place?" She asked firmly, her ark coming closer to his temple.

He blinked incredulously, taken aback by her reaction. Had she not remembered him, or had the goddesses done something to her to _make_ her forget, like they did with the humans?

"Elizabeth?" He asked, his tone steady.

"How do you know of my name?" She asked again, though she backed away a fraction. Her face contorted in confusion and she took another step back, her hand moving to her head. Meliodas didn't move as she staggered. He knew he could take a blow from her, but Estarossa would surely come out blades blazing if he were to get blown away by her magic.

"I-I know you… Don't I?" Elizabeth lowered her hand from her face, studying his own with a purpose. _So they did do something to make her forget_.

"Don't move." He said calmly, taking an experimental step forward to see how she would react. When she didn't flinch back he moved quicker. "I'm not going to hurt you."

He placed both hands on either side of her head and willed his power forward. Demons were immune the goddesses brainwashing, the nature of his power worked to drive away the block they had set up.

Before he had a chance to lower his hands Elizabeth's face lit in recognition, the suppressed memories flooding back to her in waves.

She threw her arms around Meliodas' neck, the entirety of her weight colliding into his own and knocking him backwards. They landed hard against the marble tiles of the theatre, a mixture of clumsy limbs and feathers.

Warmth dripped onto Meliodas' cheek and he was aware of her soft sobs.

"Welcome back." He teased, a soft smile tilting his lips upwards. His hearts were racing in his chest, their thumps reverberating in his ears.

" _Meliodas!_ " Elizabeth sobbed out, drawing him closer to her as she drew him closer to her, tightening the embrace. He snaked his own arms around her form, revealing in the feel of her, the curve of her hips, the dip of her spine, the space between skin and wings.

"I-I've wanted to see you again, all this time." She said earnestly, the tears still fresh against her skin.

"Me too." He replied, dragging a thumb against the liquid and wiping it from her face.

Estarossa could be heard running towards the two, the metal sound of his sword being pulled from its scabbard echoing off the marble structure. Elizabeth raised her gaze towards the second demon, not a trace of fear in her eyes as she rose to her full height, Meliodas doing the same.

"You're the brother!" Elizabeth chimed. "My, how you've grown!"

Realization dawned on Estarossa, "You're that goddess from all those years ago…" He lowered his sword, a baffled expression clear as day on his face. "What are you doing here?"

Elizabeth explained her situation amongst the goddesses, how she was treated as an outcast and rarely called upon to help in the war efforts because of her caring nature. She had relayed how she had found the heaven's theatre - as she called it - and how she had been coming there for years when she needed to clear her head.

Meliodas relayed his own accounts of the past 200 years, though his time was mostly spent between taverns or the battlefield. At the end as they parted ways they agreed to meet back there periodically, Estarossa choking back his words, a furious blush staining his cheeks and Meliodas agreeing solemnly before taking off to the skies, returning to their clans, their war, and to their efforts to destroy the other.

* * *

Loud, drawn out moans sounded around him as Elizabeth writhed and twisted under his careful movements. Her hands flew to his hair, tugging hard as Meliodas licked over her sensitive bud.

They had been meeting in secret for months. At first they would just talk, catch up on each other and part ways. With time they started meeting more frequently, often without Estarossa. Eventually their secret meetings had evolved into needy sex, both of them too overwhelmed by their time apart to resist the other.

"Me-Meliodas! I'm serious!"

Meliodas hummed into her core, her fingers clenching around his scalp hard. "About what again?"

"We can… We can put an end to this…" She panted as he inserted a wet finger into her, the sudden sensation making her toes curl. "We can… end the war."

"And how is that exactly?" He hummed into her slowly, deeply, the vibrations shooting like hot electricity up her spine.

"You can… Oh… Join me. We can… Do it together…" She struggled to get the words out passed her moans, her mind quickly devolving to mush when Meliodas inserted a second finger, quickly followed by a third.

"I could." He gave a long, thoughtful lick as he pumped in and out of her slowly, each stroke making Elizabeth see stars as the cord in her belly winded tighter and tighter. "But I'm not fully convinced."

He withdrew his fingers and stilled his tongue earning a dissatisfied grunt from Elizabeth. The sudden halt of the affections leaving her feeling cold and empty. A sly grin crossed his face, his eyes held a mischievous glint to them.

"And what can I do to convince you?" She asked as she crawled over to him.

He leaned back, his hellblaze that had been cloaking his body like clothes receding back to give her access. She ran her fingers delicately over his chest and he shivered until her touch. "Show me why it'll be worth my time."

She grabbed hold of him, gently palming the burning flesh of his manhood and stroking up and down slowly, methodically. She crawled over him, locking her lips over his own in a messy kiss. She ran her thumb over the tip of his cock, gathering a drop of pre-cum and swirling it around the organ.

A deep groan purred from deep in his throat, she knew this always drove him crazy. "And how can I do that." She asked lowly in his ear, his cock twitching in her grip from the action.

He grabbed hold of her hips, his lips crashing in her own as he lined her up with him. He entered her in one quick motion knowing she could handle it. Elizabeth moaned and he greedily drank it up as he flicked his tongue against her lips, asking for entrance.

Elizabeth picked up her pace, leaning against his chest to support her weight as she rose and fell against him. The sound of wet flesh making contact echoed around them like a lewd song.

He thrust up into her, each successive thrust eliciting a louder moan from the goddess. Without breaking his pace, he flipped her off of him so she was on her hands and knees. He entered her again from behind, wrapping a strong hand around and caressing her sensitive bud as he continued his pace.

She tightened around him, her mind going blank from the overload on her senses. The cord in her snapped without warning, her arms giving out from under her as she dropped to the marble below her, her body convulsing uncontrollably.

Meliodas leaned over her, taking her breasts into each hand as he reached his own end, pulling out of her and releasing his seed against the seats of the theatre.

He brought her to his lips, bringing her into a hungry kiss, both of them sweating and panting. He wrapped her in his arms, her wings trembling beside her as they came down from their highs.

"I'll do it." He said once he had the strength to do so, his hearts beating in his ears loudly.

Just like that, he had finally taken the final step in abandoning his father – in paving his own path. To say he was terrified would be an understatement.

Meliodas felt the rise and fall of the woman in his arms, her breaths steady as she fought to stay awake. Until her he had never had anything precious to him, so important to him that he would fight to keep it. He had owed so much to her, and he was determined to pay her back in full.

"I love you." Elizabeth murmured against his chest, her voice heavy with fatigue.

"I love you too." Meliodas said, wrapping his arm around her and kissing the top of her head. He meant it. He loved her, maybe more than he would like to admit.

He would do anything to protect her, no matter what that meant or where it brought him.

He would fight for her for the rests of his days. He knew this with every fibre of his being.

He wrapped his arms around her as he felt his own lids fall, relaxation overtaking him.

For better or for worse, he would be by her side. That was a promise.


End file.
